Our keynote speaker for SotSoL 2013 was TV Producer/Media Consultant Peter Bowden, who also works with congregations that are ready to grow. Rev. Terasa Cooley, UUA's Office of Programming & Strategy, started off the afternoon with "Congregations and Beyond: Sharing a vision for liberal religion, now and in the future."

2013 Conference Details

Program Schedule and Workshop Details

Several of our presenters have agreed to share their materials.You can find them by clicking the folder icon below:/p>

Keynote Address - Part I & II:

"Unitarian Universalism Unleashed"

by Peter BowenCo-founder, Small Group Ministry Network

We know the world is changing, and that this is challenging our congregations to change. Faced with rapidly shifting culture and technology, it is hard to know how to proceed. Unitarian Universalist ministry and media consultant, Peter Bowden says there is a crucial skill we need to master if we are to make sense of our digitally connected world, and to thrive as a faith.

What is it? Intentionally creating and cultivating meaningful connections. In a world where people are increasingly seeking connection, meaning, and people to join in inspired action, relationship is the key. While we would think relationship would come easy to congregations, today the opposite is true. In his presentations Peter will share relational strategies for using social media and small group ministries to unleash the power and potential of Unitarian Universalism.

Peter Bowden is a Unitarian Universalist ministry and media consultant helping our leaders adapt to changing culture and technology, as well as a television producer. A lifelong Unitarian Universalist, he has worked for our Association, the Ballou Channing district, and now coaches clergy and congregations across the United States through the Leading Congregations consulting group. Peter is known nationally for his speaking, training, and work on a growing number of innovative Unitarian Universalist projects including:

Co-founding the UU Small Group Ministry Network

Producing one of the very first UU videos on Youtube called You’re a Uni-What?

Creating the closest thing we have to a UU TV channel, UnitarianUniversalism.TV

Helping to launch other collaborative social media projects such as the UU Growth Lab and the UU Media Collaborative on Facebook.

When not working with congregations, Peter produces educational media for nationally syndicated children’s television shows airing on PBS. He lives in Cambridge, MA with his wife, the Rev. Amy Freedman.

Luncheon Speaker: Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley

Congregations and Beyond:Sharing a vision for liberal religion,now and in the future

PRESENTER:

Rev. Dr. Terasa CooleyUUA Office of Programming & Strategy

Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley

The way people experience and interact in spiritual life is changing, and this has profound effect on the present and future of our congregations. Assumptions about the nature of institutions, changing technologies, and new opportunities for social justice are a few of the cultural shifts with implications for UUs. UUA is exploring ways in which we can be a vital presence for liberal religionists both inside and beyond congregations. Come learn what this means for us now and into the future.

The Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley is with the UUA Office of Programming and Strategy. A lifelong Unitarian Universalist (from Texas!) she has served congregations in Detroit, Chicago, and Connecticut. Prior to assuming this position she was the District Executive of the Mass Bay District. She has a BA from the University of Texas, an MDiv from Harvard Divinity School, and a DMin from Hartford Seminary. Her topics of expertise are congregational health, conflict transformation, leadership development, strategic planning and religious trends.

A Question and Answer Session with the Candidates for UUA Moderator

"UUA Moderator?"

The Moderator is Chief Governance Officer of the UUA. The Moderator chairs the UUA Board of Trustees and the plenary (business) sessions at the annual General Assemblies. The Moderator also meets regularly with national committees, regional groups, and leaders of Unitarian Universalist congregations across the country. The Moderator is an elected, volunteer position.

The two candidates running for the position of Moderator this year are Jim Key and Tamra Payne-Alex.

Jim Key

Jim Key

Jim is the immediate past President of the Southeast District from 2008 to 2012. Prior to that, he was Vice President from April 2006 until June 30, 2008. Additionally, he is a candidate for Moderator of the UUA.

Jim is a member of the UU Fellowship of Beaufort which he helped to organize in 1999. He served as President of the fellowship for five years and Finance Committee chair for three years. Additionally, he has served on the Long Range Planning committee, Committee on Shared Ministry, Stewardship Committee, and currently chairs the Capital Campaign. In 2001 Jim was a student at the Mountain School for Congregational Leadership, joined the faculty of MSCL in 2002, and served as dean 2003-4. He has attended General Assembly since 2002. Additionally, he has served both as Secretary and Treasurer of the District Presidents’ Association. Currently, he serves as chair of the Audit Committee of the UUA Board of Trustees.

Jim is the principal partner of the Shenandoah Group, a consulting firm that focuses on governance, risk management, and compliance solutions for clients around the world. Formerly he worked for IBM, where he was Director–Internal Audit, North America and Asia Pacific, residing in Tokyo. He has consulted on governance, risk, and compliance issues; conducted training; and facilitated workshops for a wide variety of clients in business, government, education, and not-for-profit sectors.

Jim lives in Beaufort, SC, where he was an organizing director of Coastal Banking Company, a bank holding company for CBC National Bank. He serves on the Compliance and Governance committees and is chair of the Audit Committee. He shares his life with Liz, his partner of forty-eight years whom he met in Junior High School. They have two sons and one daughter, all partnered, and six grandchildren. He has a BA in Liberal Studies from Syracuse University and has done graduate work at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University.

Tamara Payne-Alex

Tamara Payne-Alex

Tamara is a candidate for UUA Moderator and a lifelong Unitarian Universalist who began serving in leadership roles as a youth. She continued her service to the Association as a young adult with four years as a member of the Black Concerns Working Group and the Racial and Cultural Diversity Research Team. Tamara served six years on the Ministerial Fellowship Committee, the committee that assesses the readiness of our aspiring ministers to serve our congregations, and nine years as an At-Large Trustee on the UUA Board.

Outside her work with our Association, Tamara spent fifteen years as a consultant focusing on management training, executive coaching, and multicultural, inclusive environments. She is an active volunteer in her community as well, and has been recognized by her local school district for her advocacy work on behalf of African American children and their families.

Currently, Tamara is a manager for an large education company that provides on-site expanded learning programs for children. This position allows her to use her creative problem solving skill, love for learning, and passion for serving families and diverse communities.

Tamara lives with her family in San Jose, CA, and is Program Officer at the First Unitarian Church of San Jose.

Irresistible UU Social Media: Vision, Story, and Relationships that Matter

PROGRAM:

In this workshop Peter will share how to maximize the impact of your congregation’s social media by focusing on what matters most - your vision, the ongoing story of your congregation’s life and ministry, and the relationships that drive it.

PRESENTER:

Peter Bowden

Peter Bowden

Peter Bowden is a Unitarian Universalist ministry and media consultant helping our leaders adapt to changing culture and technology, as well as a television producer. A lifelong Unitarian Universalist, he has worked for our Association, the Ballou Channing district, and now coaches clergy and congregations across the United States through the Leading Congregations consulting group. Peter is known nationally for his speaking, training, and work on a growing number of innovative Unitarian Universalist projects including:

Co-founding the UU Small Group Ministry Network

Producing one of the very first UU videos on Youtube called You’re a Uni-What?

Creating the closest thing we have to a UU TV channel, UnitarianUniversalism.TV

Helping to launch other collaborative social media projects such as the UU Growth Lab and the UU Media Collaborative on Facebook.

When not working with congregations, Peter produces educational media for nationally syndicated children’s television shows airing on PBS. He lives in Cambridge, MA with his wife, the Rev. Amy Freedman.

Church Finance 101

PROGRAM:

Are you a new treasurer or chair of finance? Charles will help on basic money management tools and checklists for congregations and other organizations.

PRESENTER:

Charles Palmer

Charles Palmer

Charles Palmer has been in accounting for more than thirty years for food industry operations. As a member of the Westside UU congregation for more than seven years, Charles has participated on their board as a member and treasurer, as a member of their finance and endowment committees, facilitated preparation of two strategic action plans, and facilitated the stewardship campaign. He has been their representative to NTAUUS for four years and is presently the treasurer for NTAUUS. He holds a BA in music from the University of New Mexico and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Charles’ spouse, Jane, is a current member of the Westside UUC board of directors.

Everything UUA

PROGRAM:

PRESENTER:

UUA Trustee Donna Harrison

Donna HarrisonUUA Trustee

Donna Harrison serves on the UUA Board of Trustees as the trustee from the Southwestern Conference. She has been a UU for twenty-five years and has held a variety of leadership positions in her congregation and district. Donna also serves as the co-director of the SWUUC senior high youth camp.

Living UU Values Beyond the Walls of Our Congregations

PROGRAM:

Living out our values beyond our churches is a goal we all seek, but how can we do it most effectively? Come and explore some of the ways leaders at First Church have been exploring that question and finding answers. This has engaged more than half of their congregants this year. Alan will share the 2012-2013 theme year initiative, “Year of Engagement and Service” (YES!) and David will present the development of a new Texas nonprofit, Jericho Road Dallas. Each will make a short presentation about what they’ve been doing and lessons they’ve learned, answer your questions, and lead the workshop to envision ways we could all be more successful, both within our own individual congregations and throughout North Texas.

PRESENTERS:

Alan Lummus & David Overton

Alan Lummus

Alan Lummus is a native of the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas; he studied music, economics and law at UT Austin, and is retired from a wide-ranging entrepreneurial career. He is now busier than ever with family and First Unitarian Church of Dallas; with Dallas Area Interfaith, an affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation that teaches and provides real world training in the art and practice of democracy; Skill QUEST, a Texas nonprofit program for low-income adults seeking retraining for high-demand, high-skilled jobs paying family living wages with benefits and career paths; and Jericho Road Dallas, a new Texas nonprofit connecting area professionals with short-term pro-bono assignments supporting Dallas area nonprofits. Alan played an integral role in the development and implementation of the 2012-2013 YES! Theme Year Initiative at First Church, where he presently serves on the leadership team for the Neighborhood Track.

David Overton

David Overton was raised in Dallas and spent his time in the corporate world in public accounting and retail before retiring to devote more time to non-profit activities.

He serves on the board of Mercy Ships, an international health organization that operates a hospital ship in West Africa, and chairs the Advisory Board for the UU-United Nations Office. He and his wife Mary spent a month last year in West Africa, visiting the UU-UNO’s educational program in Ghana and living aboard the hospital ship Africa Mercy in Togo. David stays active in the business world as a partner with Opus Faveo, a start-up accelerator that works with new and emerging businesses. He also chairs the Leadership Team working to launch Jericho Road in Dallas, which matches professionals in UU churches with non-profits in the community that need those skills.

PROGRAM:

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a powerful and proven organizational development tool, easily learned and easily practiced. After a few moments of theory, we'll launch into some partner exercises to develop some irresistible questions for the next stranger you meet.

PRESENTER:

MarySue Foster

MarySue Foster

MarySue Foster, MarySue Foster is a graduate of Starr King School for the Ministry with an MA in Religious Leadership for Social Change (MASC). She has led AI workshops for more than twenty years and founded three organizations based on AI as an intergenerational community-building tool.

The Ministry of Worship

PROGRAM:

Natalie and Mark will cover some of the elements of worship and basics on how to craft a service. Participants will be invited to help lead the closing worship in the afternoon.

PRESENTERS:

Natalie Briscoe & Rev. Mark Walz

Natalie Briscoe

Natalie Briscoe has a degree in psychology from UT Austin with a focus on learning and perception across the lifespan, and her Master's in counseling and human development from UNT. She has served a decade as a Religious Educator, first as a Children's Program Coordinator and then as a Director of RE for two churches, in North Texas and Seattle, Washington. She also served the Southern Region as a Healthy Congregations Consultant and as a Youth Ministry Consultant for the last three years. In 2011 Natalie received both the Ruth Clark Award from NTAUUS and the Norma Veridan Award from the Southwest District. She is married to her best friend, Sean, and the couple welcomed their first son Ian in 2012.

Rev. Mark Walz

Rev. Mark Walz grew up in Houston and Dallas. Besides his wife of 40 years and their family, he has had three other passions in his life - theater, politics, and religion. Mark has always been interested in the experiences and philosophies that guide people's lives. His work as a professional actor and director has allowed him to explore great literature through the venues of stage and film.

His work as a UU Minister has allowed him to deepen his own spiritual journey, and become an activist for social change. He is strongly involved with Dallas Area Interfaith, the Dallas Peace Center, and has served on the Executive Council of the NAACP. His ninth year as Minister for Oak Cliff starts this July.

Volunteer Power: Recruiting, Equipping,and Inspiring Your Volunteers

PROGRAM:

Learn more on how to help people find their niche in the congregation, and how to build continuity in volunteers.

Charles and Tracy, staff members of First Unitarian Church of Dallas, will repeat their popular workshop from last year on how they help people get involved and integrated.

PRESENTERS:

Charles McMullen & Tracy McShan

Charles McMullen

Charles McMullen serves Dallas’ First Church as Director of Adult Religious Education, a position he’s held for almost eleven years. He dropped out of a Southern Baptist Seminary in 1984 and spent the years in between delivering corporate training and marketing television news organizations.

Tracy McShan

Tracy McShan has been an active church member of eleven years. Tracy joined the staff of First Unitarian Church of Dallas in January as Director of Congregational Life. She has a twenty-year background in consulting, development, and leadership in the business and education fields, most recently serving as Implementation Consultant for Scientific Learning, an educational software company based in Oakland, California, and Director of Training Sales and Operations for CompUSA’s corporate headquarters. Tracy’s work at First Church focuses on stewardship, membership, volunteerism, and service.

Speaking Peace:Introduction to Compassionate Communication

PROGRAM:

Compassionate Communication has guided hundreds of Unitarian Universalist leaders in growing and deepening their UU faith development in their congregations. It also supports increasing our skills and effectiveness in emotional, social, ecological, and spiritual intelligence by accessing and articulating not only our feelings, but the universal human needs behind those feelings. During this workshop we will introduce the fundamentals of Compassionate Communication (also known as Nonviolent Communication), and through interactive and reflective exercises we will provide opportunities for participants to not only practice, but also to expand their compassionate consciousness. Suitable for all ages and stages.

PRESENTER:

Carrie Stewart

Carrie Stewart

Carrie Stewart As the Owner and Principal of One World Consulting, Carrie has served various communities and organizations in their quest for greater understanding, and inclusion of diverse individuals. A lifelong UU, Carrie has been a child, youth, member and friend of thirteen congregations in five districts. She currently serves as a SWUUC and Southern Region Consultant specializing in anti-racism, anti-oppression and multiculturalism, conflict transformation, leadership, Compassionate Communication and Healthy Congregations. Additionally, she serves on the SWUUC Board, The Journey Toward Wholeness Transformation Committee of the UUA, the UU Allies for Racial Equality Steering Committee, and is a DBLE Staff member. She holds a Bachelors degree in American Studies from Smith College, and a Masters in Communication from Rutgers University.

Carrie and her spouse are raising two third-generation UU teens in Colleyville, Texas, where they enjoy movies, theater, music, Saturday Night Live, travel (especially to water), and their two dogs.

The Group Engine: Growing Leaders, Relationships and Unitarian Universalism

PROGRAM:

In this workshop Peter will map out a model for intentionally growing Unitarian Universalism through a group-based, multi-generational, leadership development tool - small group ministry!

PRESENTER:

Peter Bowden

Peter Bowden

Peter Bowden is a Unitarian Universalist ministry and media consultant helping our leaders adapt to changing culture and technology, as well as a television producer. A lifelong Unitarian Universalist, he has worked for our Association, the Ballou Channing district, and now coaches clergy and congregations across the United States through the Leading Congregations consulting group. Peter is known nationally for his speaking, training, and work on a growing number of innovative Unitarian Universalist projects including:

Co-founding the UU Small Group Ministry Network

Producing one of the very first UU videos on Youtube called You’re a Uni-What?

Creating the closest thing we have to a UU TV channel, UnitarianUniversalism.TV

Helping to launch other collaborative social media projects such as the UU Growth Lab and the UU Media Collaborative on Facebook.

When not working with congregations, Peter produces educational media for nationally syndicated children’s television shows airing on PBS. He lives in Cambridge, MA with his wife, the Rev. Amy Freedman.

Governance as a Spiritual Practice

PROGRAM:

Jim will facilitate a discussion on the role of governance as a spiritual practice in a democratic religious movement. Subjects covered will include organizational governance, process governance, the discipline required in any spiritual practice, and how governance balances individualism with community

PRESENTER:

Jim Key

Jim Key

Jim Key is the immediate past President of the Southeast District from 2008 to 2012. Prior to that, he was Vice President from April 2006 until June 30, 2008. Additionally, he is a candidate for Moderator of the UUA.

Jim is a member of the UU Fellowship of Beaufort which he helped to organize in 1999. He served as President of the fellowship for five years and Finance Committee chair for three years. Additionally he has served on the Long Range Planning committee, Committee on Shared Ministry, Stewardship Committee, and currently chairs the Capital Campaign. In 2001 Jim was a student at the Mountain School for Congregational Leadership, joined the faculty of MSCL in 2002, and served as dean 2003-4. He has attended General Assembly since 2002. Additionally, he has served both as Secretary and Treasurer of the District Presidents’ Association. Currently, he serves as chair of the Audit Committee of the UUA Board of Trustees.

Jim is the principal partner of the Shenandoah Group, a consulting firm that focuses on governance, risk management, and compliance solutions for clients around the world. Formerly he worked for IBM, where he was Director–Internal Audit, North America and Asia Pacific, residing in Tokyo. He has consulted on governance, risk, and compliance issues; conducted training; and facilitated workshops for a wide variety of clients in business, government, education, and not-for-profit sectors.

Jim lives in Beaufort, SC, where he was an organizing director of Coastal Banking Company, a bank holding company for CBC National Bank. He serves on the Compliance and Governance committees and is chair of the Audit Committee. He shares his life with Liz, his partner of forty-eight years whom he met in Junior High School. They have two sons and one daughter, all partnered, and six grandchildren. He has a BA in Liberal Studies from Syracuse University and has done graduate work at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University.

Qualities Desired in a 21st Century Leader

PROGRAM:

Traditional leadership characteristic are often out of sync with the fast-paced, changing, multicultural world of the 21st century. What qualities do leaders need to engage a diverse, forward-focused membership? What moral framework does Unitarian Universalism offer leaders regarding power, cultural competency and inspiring new leaders. Come join a lively, authentic conversation about the leadership qualities we need to move forward together.

PRESENTER:

Tamara Payne-Alex

Tamara Payne-Alex

Tamara Payne-Alex is a candidate for UUA Moderator and a lifelong Unitarian Universalist who began serving in leadership roles as a youth. She continued her service to the Association as a young adult with four years as a member of the Black Concerns Working Group and the Racial and Cultural Diversity Research Team. Tamara served six years on the Ministerial Fellowship Committee, the committee that assesses the readiness of our aspiring ministers to serve our congregations, and nine years as an At-Large Trustee on the UUA Board.

Outside her work with our Association, Tamara spent fifteen years as a consultant focusing on management training, executive coaching, and multicultural, inclusive environments. She is an active volunteer in her community as well, and has been recognized by her local school district for her advocacy work on behalf of African American children and their families.

Currently, Tamara is a manager for an large education company that provides on-site expanded learning programs for children. This position allows her to use her creative problem solving skill, love for learning, and passion for serving families and diverse communities.

Tamara lives with her family in San Jose, CA, and is Program Officer at the First Unitarian Church of San Jose.

Conflict Transformation

PROGRAM:

We hear a lot in congregations about the destructiveness of conflict. And it's true that unhealthy ways of dealing with conflict can often result in hurt feelings and even damaged faith. But what if it is possible to use conflict as an opportunity to learn and grow and change in healthy directions?

PRESENTER:

Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley

Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley

The Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley is with the UUA Office of Programming and Strategy. A lifelong Unitarian Universalist (from Texas!) she has served congregations in Detroit, Chicago, and Connecticut. Prior to assuming this position she was the District Executive of the Mass Bay District. She has a BA from the University of Texas, an MDiv from Harvard Divinity School, and a DMin from Hartford Seminary. Her topics of expertise are congregational health, conflict transformation, leadership development, strategic planning and religious trends.

Introduction to Youth Ministry and Chaplaincy

PROGRAM:

Ministry to and with Youth is an important component in growing lifelong Elders of our Faith. Ministers, Directors of Religious Education, Youth Advisors, Youth, and Lay Leaders are welcomed to spend time visioning the future of Youth Ministry and receive an introduction to the ins and outs of Youth Chaplaincy.

PRESENTER:

Natalie Briscoe

Natalie Briscoe

Natalie Briscoe has a degree in psychology from UT Austin with a focus on learning and perception across the lifespan, and her Master's in counseling and human development from UNT. She has served a decade as a Religious Educator, first as a Children's Program Coordinator and then as a Director of RE for two churches, in North Texas and Seattle, Washington. She also served the Southern Region as a Healthy Congregations Consultant and as a Youth Ministry Consultant for the last three years. In 2011 Natalie received both the Ruth Clark Award from NTAUUS and the Norma Veridan Award from the Southwest District. She is married to her best friend, Sean, and the couple welcomed their first son Ian in 2012.

Teaching Peace: To Ourselves & Others

PROGRAM:

Dee Mayes is the DFW Coordinator for BePeace and a boardmember for Peacemakers Inc.

BePeace is a proven skill set that builds the social and emotional intelligence needed to self-regulate emotions and behavior, and support optimum communication with others. It equips individuals with the skills needed to resolve problems and conflicts in a mutually satisfying manner and to make positive choices that enrich life. The organization offers training to individuals, groups, teachers, counselors, and parents.

BePeace was developed by Rita Marie Johnson, Founding Director of the Rasur Foundation International, a U.S. non-profit with a mission “to teach the BePeace practice to individuals of all ages so that they may easily access their natural wisdom and compassion. RFI is not associated with any political party, group, or religion. It takes a neutral stand that enables all people to learn the BePeace Practice.”

PRESENTER:

Dee Mayes

Dee Mayes

Dee Mayes has worked for peace, justice, and equality all her life. She graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School, received a B.S. in education, began her career as a Montessori teacher, worked at the Dallas Museum of Art, and served as co-director of the Unitarian Cooperative Preschool. In the 1970s she served on the Board of Women for Change. Recently retired, she taught for twenty-eight years at the Hockaday School in Dallas, where she served as the Lower School Fine Arts Coordinator.

Dee has presented at national conferences and spoken to many groups on creativity, diversity and inclusion, global education, visual art, curriculum development, social and emotional intelligence, HeartMath, and teaching peace. She also serves on the board of Peacemakers Incorporated, is a licensed HeartMath trainer, and is the DFW BePeace Coordinator. Dee is passionate about peace and is eager to continue her life’s journey working in that field.

PROGRAM:

Chuck Freeman, TXUUJM's new Executive Director, and Board Member James Finn will help us practice strategies for influencing the Texas Legislature and bending its "arc toward justice."

PRESENTERS:

James Finn & Chuck Freeman

James Finn

James Finn has worked in and around the film business for more than twenty years. A member of Westside UU Church in Fort Worth for several years, he has served his church as a board member as well as heading up the Building & Grounds committee. He has lobby experience in the state of Texas throughout his career.

Rev. Chuck Freeman

Rev. Chuck Freeman has been in the ministry since 1977 serving Church of Christ and Unitarian Universalist congregations. He is the founding minister of the Free Souls Church in Round Rock, Texas and a founding member of the Texas Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry as well as being TXUUJM's new Executive Director.

Chuck is also a certified Chaplain who has ministered in the Texas Medical Center in Houston and with Hospice Austin. He is the co-founder of Hospice Austin’s Bereavement counseling program. He is the creator; producer, and host of the radio program "Soul Talk" which has been broadcasting since 1996 and currently streams live 24/7 @ Soultalkradio.com